The principle techniques for the production of chemiluminescent light comprising the reaction of an oxalate solution including a dye with a solution of hydrogen peroxide containing a suitable catalyst have been well described in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,740,263; 5,232,635; 4,717,511; 4,678,608; 3,888,786; 3,775,336; 3,749,679; 3,597,362; 3,557,233; 3,391,068; 3,391,069, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Chemiluminescence is produced by a reaction, in the liquid phase, of an activator such as hydrogen peroxide with a fluorescent agent and an oxalate. Optionally, other secondary compounds can be present such as catalysts, dyes etc. The production of chemiluminescent light by the reaction of a catalyzed hydrogen peroxide solution with a fluorescer solution is well known in the art. Blue, green and yellow chemiluminescent light has been produced depending upon the particular fluorescer employed in the fluorescer solution. Examples of these prior art chemiluminescent light-systems can be found in one or more of the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,749,679; 3,391,068; 3,974,368; 3,557,233; 3,597,362; 3,775,336; 3,888,786.
Historically, the light output of blue chemiluminescent devices has been based upon 9,10-diphenylanthracene (DPHA) and 2-chloro-9,10-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)anthracene (BPEN). However, although the light output is measured from 400-500 nm, most of the substituted 9,10-diphenylanthracene derivatives have chemiluminescent emission maxima greater than 445 nm. The most common blue used in chemiluminescent devices is BPEN with an emission maximum of 451 nm. None of the reported non-polymeric substituted diphenylanthracene dyes used for chemiluminescence has a listed emission maximum below DPHA (438 nm). This invention teaches the development of dyes suitable for oxalate/peroxide chemiluminescent systems with a spectrum having an emission maximum at a wavelength below the one observed for DPHA, but at wavelengths greater than the ultra-violet region. This would enable the production of a chemiluminescent system with greater output in the violet region of the visible spectrum, particularly, a chemiluminescent system which produces light having an emission maximum from about 390 nm to less than 438 nm without the need for filters to protect the observer from ultraviolet radiation.